H 



BLBMBNTS OE OENITHOtOGX. 



A very interesting form, called the Tooth-billed Pigeon j 

 (Didunculiis strigirostris), inhabits the Samoan Islands, where it 

 feeds on plantains. It used to be an entirely, or almost 

 entirely, ground-bird, but is said to have taken to flying up ; 

 into trees to avoid cats and other enemies introduced of late i 

 years by man into the region it inhabits. Thus it can fly to a 

 certain extent when it needs to do so ; but its main interest con- 

 sists in the fact that of all existing Birds it is the one which most , 

 resembles the extinct Dodo, which could not possibly fly at all. 



Not less familiar to us than Fowls and Pigeons are our , 



Fig. 11. 



The Mallard {Anas bosoas). 



Ducks and Geese. Of these there are very many species, and 

 some are tound almost all over the world. 



Our Domestic Goose is derived from the Grey Goose (Amir 

 cinereus) the natural range of which extends over Europe and 

 Central Asia. There are some fourteen species of the genus 

 ^nser, and of allied forms there are very many more— soine of 

 them being found in one region or another almost all over the 

 world, save that the true Geese eschew the Tropics In snita of 

 their webbed feet, the Geese generally, like the Domestic 



